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Electrical connectorRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Preformed Panel Circuit Arrangement, E.g., Pcb, Icm, Dip, Chip, Wafer, Etc., With Provision To Conduct Electricity From Panel Circuit To Another Panel Circuit, Overlying Second Preformed Panel Circuit, Both Adapted To Be Electrically ConnectedElectrical connector description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070020967, Electrical connector. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to electrical connectors. In order to provide better conductivity, it is desired to increase the contact area between the terminals of a pair of connectors. Consequently, it is preferred that contact sections are provided on the surface of terminal sheet. [0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-163054 discloses connectors having such terminals. The terminals are made by bending sheet metal to provide sufficient flexibility for contact. However, the contact position can be moved, providing poor contact and putting a limit to the fine arrangement of terminals. When an impact is applied to the electronic device, terminals can move to transmit the impact to the housing, resulting in the damaged housing. [0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-143801 discloses a connector having a terminal with an indentation to prevent the contact position from moving, especially from lateral movement. [0004] The terminal of JP' 801 is made by stamping so that the widthwise direction of the terminal is in the direction of thickness. That is, the terminal is not made by bending in the thicknesswise direction so that the stamping process becomes complicated, resulting in the high manufacturing cost. Also, there is provided low degrees of flexibility, requiring a long contact arm to provide a satisfactory flexibility. This leads to a large connector. To prevent this, the arm must be curved many turns, resulting in the high manufacturing cost. [0005] According to JP' 054, the direction in which sheet metal is processed is changed to provide an inexpensive and flexible terminal. This method, however, cannot used for the terminal of JP' 801. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector having inexpensive and flexible terminals and capable of maintaining an accurate contact position against an impact to the electronic device. [0007] According to the invention, the terminals of a pair of connectors are made by bending sheet metal in the thicknesswise direction so that the terminals have an interference range in the thicknesswise direction prior to connection of the connectors. More specifically, a first terminal of a first connector has a flat indentation and a second terminal of a second connector has a projection to be located within the flat indentation, forming the interference area or range. [0008] Since the flat indentation and the projection are provided on the faces of metal sheet, there is provided a large contact area and high flexibility. Since the flat indentation and the projection are located in the interference area in the thicknesswise direction, an accurate positioning in the longitudinal and lateral directions of a terminal is provided. The regular connection is fed back with a click sound. Moreover, the manufacturing cost according to the invention is reduced. [0009] When the electronic device is dropped, receiving an impact, the flat indentations and the corresponding projections maintain the accurate position and absorb the impact without damage to the housing. [0010] The first terminal has a U-shaped section and a flat indentation in an outer surface of each leg. The second terminal has an S-shaped section consisting of a reversed U-shaped fixed section and a flexible section with a free end. A projection is provided on each of the fixed section and the free end at position corresponding to the flat indentation. The projection and the flat indentation may form a contact area. The other projection and the corresponding flat indentation may form a regulation area for regulating movement of the terminals in the widthwise direction. [0011] As has been described above, the first terminal has flat indentation and the second terminal has projection within the area of the flat indentation so that the contact is restricted in the area with a sufficient contact area and flexibility. The projections are made by deforming the terminals in the widthwise or thicknesswise direction without difficulty, resulting in the low manufacturing cost. The engagement between the flat indentation and the projection is so stable that the flat indentation and the projection absorb an impact and do not damage the housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of male and female connectors according to an embodiment of the invention; [0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of male and female terminals; [0014] FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1; and [0016] FIG. 3C is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENTS [0017] An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-3. [0018] FIG. 1 shows in section a male connector 10 and a female connector 20, which are to be connected to each other. The male connector 10 has a housing 11 made of a synthetic resin, which is dielectric, and terminals 12 made of sheet metal and supported by the housing 11 which is molded integrally with the terminals. [0019] A pair of retention walls 14 extend forwardly from a base wall 13 of the housing 11. The inner distance between the retention walls 14 is substantially equal to the width or thickness of a central wall of the female connector 20, while the outer distance between the retention walls 14 is substantially equal to the inner distance of the outer walls of the female connector 20. That is, the central wall of the female connector 20 is fitted in between the retention walls 14 while the retention walls 14 are fitted in the recesses made between the outer walls and the central wall of the female connector 20. [0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the male connector 12 is made by bending sheet metal to provide a flat free end 12A with a regulation indentation 12A-1, a bottom section 12E, a flat intermediate section 12B with an indented flat contact section 12B-1, a supported section 12C diagonally extending from the flat intermediate section 12B, and a connection section 12D laterally extending from the supported section 12C. The width of the flat free end 12A and the flat intermediate section 12B is greater than the width of the supported section 12C and the connection section 12C. The rectangular regulation portion 12A-1 and contact portion 12B-1 are indented in the flat free end 12A and flat intermediate section 12B, respectively. Continue reading about Electrical connector... Full patent description for Electrical connector Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electrical connector patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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